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Approved tack and equipment for

British Dressage competitions

Effective 1 December 2019

This revised pictorial guide has been devised to be used alongside the British Dressage Members’

Handbook for clarification on permitted tack and equipment. British Dressage endeavours to mirror

FEI Rules for permitted tack and equipment.

Tack reviews are ongoing but, any additional permitted tack and equipment updates will only be

issued twice yearly to coincide with the beginning of the summer and winter seasons (1 December

and 30 June).

At all BD Championships, there will be an appointed BD Steward(s) in attendance in all warm up

arenas responsible for tack and equipment checking every competitor each time they compete. This

will be a physical (not just visual) tack check, including nosebands. It’s the organisers’ responsibility

to appoint stewards for this function and they must be BD or FEI qualified to the appropriate level,

for further guidelines on the official tack check, please see rule 108 in the 2020 Members Handbook.

For the complete guidelines on permitted tack and riding the test and penalties, please see section

Section 1 of the Members’ Handbook.

If the equipment that you are looking at are similar to those pictured, it’s permitted for use in BD

competitions. If you have a query on any tack or equipment that you’re unsure about, please email

a picture of the item to the Member Experience Manager for clarification.

NB:

Please note that bridles without a throatlash will be permitted for use for national competitions,

for international competitions please check FEI rules.

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Rings/cheeks

Egg butt

(also permitted for bridoons)

Loose ring

(also permitted for bridoons)

Sleeved cheeks

Shaped sleeved cheeks

Full cheek / Fulmer

Hanging cheek/Baucher

D-ring

Various gag cheeks

Myler (or similar)

cheeks for use with hooks

Bevel bit/cheeks

Any combination of permitted cheeks and permitted mouthpieces can be used under BD rules.

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Bits/mouthpieces

Ported unjointed bit

Mullen mouth (including

Flexible mouthpieces)

Double jointed snaffle

Single jointed

snaffle (including Lock up)

NB Lock-up snaffle may not

be used as a bridoon

Loose ring dressage plate

Cable double jointed

Ported barrel

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Cable single

jointed

B-ring snaffle

Dr Bristol

Mouthpiece with rotating middle

piece

Jointed barrel mouthpiece

Low ported barrel

Double jointed

plastic bit

Happy Mouth straight bar

Hippus C1100

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Bits/mouthpieces

Kimblewick

Magennis

Weymouth (largest and

smallest ports illustrated)

Plastic covered Weymouth

Neue Schule

Turtle Tilt

Weymouth with

sliding mouthpiece or rotating arms

Winning

Tongue Plate NP Bit

(any type)

Various mouthpieces

(including leather

mouthpieces)

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Bits/mouthpieces

Bit guards

Clip cheek

piece attachment

only

Not

permitted on reins

Bit clips on ergonomic

bridles or full cheeked snaffles

Curb chain

cover

Bridles and nosebands

Bridle with anatomical/padded

headpiece

Combination/ergonomic bridles

(clips on Micklem are not permitted)

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Cornell Collar

Dyon X-Fit Anatomic

Dyon Difference (double and snaffle bridle)

Stubben Snaffle 2500 Freedom

Shadow Horse – bridle with D-rings at ooll

PS of Sweden noseband

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Bridles and Nosebands

Drop noseband

Figure of eight or Grackle noseband

(sheepskin pad under crossover sections is

permitted)

Flash noseband

Tota Comfort System

noseband

Looped/modified Reins (including knotted

reins)

Unless

dispensation has been granted

Bridles are to be used in the conventionally accepted manner and must consist of a brow band, cheek

pieces and noseband unless a combination bridle is used. Bridles are to be black, brown, grey or navy,

coloured piping is permitted.

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Saddles and stirrups

Western saddle

Treeless/Close

Contact saddles

All saddles must

have a cantle and a pommel

Side saddle

Organiser and judge must be

notified prior to competition

Arabian saddle

Iberian saddle

Magnetic stirrups

Any colour stirrups

Velcro straps to stirrups

Saddles are to be black, brown, grey or navy – small panels of colour are permitted.

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Whips and spurs

Comb spurs

Rollerball spurs

Rowelled spurs Now permitted for all

classes

Rowels must have rounded

ends – rowelled spurs with

pointed ends will be removed

Spursuaders

Swan neck spurs

Fitted as

illustrated left

Vertical rowels/rollerball spurs

Plastic spurs

(all spurs must be made of metal)

NB – Spurs – the shank of the spur must be horizontal to the ground or pointing down – failure to

adhere to this rule will result in elimination

Please see individual Championship rules for specific rulings on whips and spurs.

Riders may carry one whip unless they hold a valid dispensation certificate. Whips may be used at

Premier Leagues unless the selectors specify otherwise, but may not be used at Area Festivals,

Associated Championship, Combined Training Championships, Regionals or National/Winter

Championships will result in elimination from the class.

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Competitor dress

Navy jackets with red collar and

points with silver piping (tail coat or

short coat)

Only permitted if riders have been selected to compete on a Senior Championship Team, GBR rider or a P, COH, J, YR British Championship team or as an individual rider see rule 4 in 2020 Rule Book

Jackets

Jackets may be in any conservative. Jackets must be

worn in all Championship,

Regional, Premier League and High

Profile classes

Waistcoats

If you are permitted to ride without a

jacket a fitted waistcoat in a

conservative colour may be worn

Show Shirt

If no jacket is worn, a sleeved traditional style shirt with a tie, American collar or fastened stock is permitted.

Mirrored hats

Top hats

Only permitted for Advanced to Grand Prix level although

organisers may request riders under 25 wear a protective

hat

Electronic

Devices/Headset

Permitted in warm

up only unless dispensation has been

granted.

Jackets may be in any conservative colour in muted tones. Contrast piping is permitted. Jackets must

be worn in all Championship, Regional, Premier League and High Profile classes, however you are

permitted to ride without a jacket in all other classes. A fitted waistcoat in a conservative colour may

be worn. If no jacket is worn, a sleeved traditional style shirt with a tie, American collar or fastened

stock is permitted.

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Additional equipment/accessories

Fly veil/hood

Infrared fly veil/poll guard/saddlecloth

The use of

infrared technology is prohibited in

competion and warm up

Nose net (use with strap on the chin

not permitted)

Not permitted under FEI rules

Face masks

Not permitted under FEI rules

Hoof boots

Any covering of the heel is not

permitted

Neck straps

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Kinesiology tape

Although

permitted for warm up only

Exercise sheets

Although

permitted for warm up only

Table of penalties for contravening rules

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